Support for clotheslines



NOV. 17, R' M HEALY SUPPORT FOR GLOTHESLINE Filed Dec. 9, 1941 INVENTOR Rafe# 1 f/f hama Luv.; rt-.4

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 17, 1942 UNITEDTSTAT es PATENT oFFlcE sUrronrlFon cLoTnEsLnvE-s e I y VRobert Ml Healy, Flushing, N. Y. .Applicaties member 9, 1941, serial No. 422,212

sciame. (c1. 2114119.07)

Thisinvention relates toa device for support-l ing `aipulley clothes-line ,and particularly .tov an adjustable support. `which ,enables the Vuser "to hangthe clothes -on the line without leaning through a'window or other opening. y

Pulley clothes-lines areV commonly used and are generallysupportedby a `pulleyattached to a window-casing and another pulley-on some distant support. In hanging clothes `on such a line, the user stands inside and leansl through the window opening. The arrangement is inconvenient. Moreover, ,numerous serious and-often fatal. accidents haveoccurred wherethe person using the line has `fallenthrough the windowopening in attempting to reach the line.

i Itis. the object of the present invention to pro-; vide a safev andiconvenient support for a clotheslinewhich'enables the user to hang clothes on the line inside the window and thereafter adjust the support so that the-,window may be closed.

Another `object' of the Ainventionis the provision of a clothes-linesupport which,.jwhen ad- .lusted to permit closing `of .the window,will hold theline suillciently taut. y l ,i i

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be` apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following specication and the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a view in perspective illustrating the application of a device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the posi. tion of the pulley-supporting arm inside the window;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the device;

Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof, showing the pulley-supporting arm inside the window;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the arm outside the window;

Fig. 6 is an elevation showing the bar in raised position; and

Fig. '7 is a vertical section of a portion of the device illustrating the details thereof.

The invention depends upon the use of a swinging arm supported in a suitable bracket which may be secured to the window casing or other available part of the building to which the device is attached. The swinging arm carries a pulley which supports the clothes-line and is adapted to be adjusted to positions either outside or inside the window casing by a simple swinging movement. To avoid slackening of the line when the arm is disposed in its normal position outside of the window, an adjustable bar is protaut. The adjustable arm is provided with a latch which enables the user to lock it in the desired |position. Preferably the arm is designed so `that when it is inside the window it extends at a slightangle to a'perpendicula'r position with respect to the wall, soA that the line will run freely and the clothes may be readily hung thereon.

Referring to Fig. 'l of the drawing, 5 indicates a bracket of any suitable material, preferably metal, which maybe secured by screws 6 or other convenient fastening means-to a window casing 'I supported in a wall 8 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. rThe end of the bracket 5 is bifurcated and provided vwith two cylindrical supports 9 adapted to receive a cylindricalsleeve I0 which may be secured in any convenient way, as for examp by upsetting the ends of the sleeve.

An arm II carrying a pulley I2 at its end is provided at its opposite end with av cylindrical eye I3 adapted to embrace the sleeve I0, whereby the arm II is supported for pivotal movement. A plate I4 likewise surrounds the sleeve IIll and is provided with a notch I5 which engages the bracket 5 so that the plate is held in xed position. The plate III` is provided also with an open- 'ing I6 and a plurality of notches l'I and with a vided to engage the clothes-line and to hold it shoulder I8. A sliding latch I9 is supported in the stirrup 20 fastened to the arm II and is adapted to engage the shoulder I8 or one of the notches I1 to hold the arm I I in adjusted position.

A cylindrical bar 2l is slidably supported in the sleeve IIJ. At the upper end of the bar 2|, a nut 22 or other convenient means for aording an abutment prevents the bar from escaping from the sleeve. At its lower end the bar 2| is provided with an adjustable hook 23 which is adapted to be disposed in the opening I6 provided in the plate I4 when the bar is lifted to the position indicated in Fig. 6. As indicated in Fig. 4, the arm II is preferably formed with an angle 24 so that when it is adjusted to position inside the window the end carrying the pulley I2 will be positioned so that the clothes-line 25 will run freely without interfering with the bar 2l. Obviously some other formation may be employed to accomplish this purpose.

In using the device, the bracket 5 is secured to the window casing or other support as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 and the line 25 is disposed about the pulley I2 and another suitable pulley 26 which may be fastened to any convenient support. The normal position of the arm I I is indicated in Fig. 1, the clothes-line 25 being disposed about the bar 2l which is in its lowered position.

The arm may be held by engagement of the latch I9 with one oi the notches I'I. When clothes are to be fastened on or removed from the line 25, the latch I9 is released and the arm II is swung inwardly through the window casing. The bar 2I is then raised and secured by means of the hook 23 so that the line is free. The person using the line may stand within the window and either add clothes to or remove them from the line without leaning through the window casing. When the operation is completed, the line is pushed towards the window casing, either manually r by swinging the bar I I clockwise, after which the bar 2| is released and droppedin front of the line into the position shown in Fig. l, so that the line 25 will pass about it when'the arm I I is swung through the window opening. While the arm II is in its inner position it may beV held by engagement of the latch I9 with the shoulder I8 and the latch must be released before the arm II is moved to its normal position outside the window. In either its inner or outer positionthe arm II is held securely. The line 251wi1l run freely while the arm I I is inY its inner position. When the arm` II is moved outwardly through the window to its normal position, the line remains on thepulley I2 and slackening is avoided by its engagement with the bar 2 I'.

The device is easily manipulated and affords absolute safety for the user because all of the steps necessary to manipulate-the device and to use the clothes-lineA may be carried out without leaning through the Window opening. 1

Various changes may be made in the details of arrangement and construction of the device without departing from the invention or sacricing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. A safety support for pulley clothes-lines comprising a bracket, an arm pivotally supported thereon,ra pulley at the free end of the arm, a bar vertically movable to and from line-engaging position affording line-engaging means supported on the bracket concentrically with the pivotal support of the arm, and means for locking the arm in adjusted position.

2. A safety support for pulley clothes-lines comprising a bracket, an arm pivotally supported thereon, a pulley mounted thereon, the arm be'- ing formed so that the pulley is offset from a line perpendicular to the bracket at the point of support of the arm, and line-engaging means supported on the bracket concentrically with the pivotal support of the arm and vertically movable to and from line-engaging position.

3; A` safety 'support, for pulley clothes-lines comprising a bracket, ama-rm pivotally supported thereon, means for locking the arm in adjusted position, a pulley mounted on the arm, the arm being formed so that the pulley is off-set from a line perpendicular to the bracket at the point of support of the arm, and line-engaging means supported onA the bracket concentrically with the pivotal support ofthe arm and vertically movable to and-from line-engaging position.

4. A safety support for pulley clothes-lines comprisinga bracket, an arm-pivotally supported4 thereon, meansfor locking the arm'- in selectivelyV adjusted positions, a` pulley mounted on the arm, the arm being formedso' that the pulley` is offset from a line perpendicularto the bracket Vat'thepointof support of! the arm, and line-engaging means supported' on the-bracket concentr-ically with the pivotal support-'ofi the armV and vertically movable tol and from line-engaging position.

5. A; safety support for pulley clothes-lines comprising a. bracket adapted to-be mounted ad`- jacent a window or the like', an arm pivotally supportedV onsaid bracket t'oV swing: in a substantially lhorizontalY plane to a posit-ion insideV the window or'outside thereof; a' pulleymounted ony the arm aboutwhich the clothesline passes, and

means for takingA up slack inthe clothes-line comprising a. member supportedon the4 bracket coaxially with thecpivot'al support for the arm and: movable axially from an inoperative position to an operativey position *in which both reaches of the clothes-line may be moved to a position'to pass around said' member when the arm is swung from a position inside thel window to; a position outside the window.n

ROBERT M. HEALY. 

